


5+1 Night Shifts

by Nocticola



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: 5 Times, But i'm still tempted, Character doesn't have first or last name, Episode 6x2 Window of Opportunity, Episode: s06e01 Missing Pieces, F/M, Fic writer : it's free real estate, I lied i don't have much of an imagination to come up with names, I'm vaguely thinking of a Spanish translation for this but my spanish is terrible, Pre-Season/Series 06, i guess that makes sense, oh ok ao3 uses damon keller now ok, so i used Damon bcus that's what his original name was
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-03-01 15:40:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18803290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nocticola/pseuds/Nocticola
Summary: The development of Keller and Yoyo's relationship through 5 'night shifts' from Elena's pov, and 1 from Keller's.1. First Conversation (pre-6x1)2. Kissing and Sex3. Heritage (Iranian/Finn and Colombian)4. Exes5. Postponed Night Shift (6x1)6. Keller (6x1-6x2)





	1. First Conversation (pre-6x1)

**Author's Note:**

> Graphics: https://demisexualnathanvuornos.tumblr.com/tagged/5-plus-1-night-shifts

Since Mack took over SHIELD, they have managed to go legit once again and that means lots of new recruits. Elena is not quite sure whether she likes it. She’s been so used to small teams and secrecy that actually having resources seems odd.

But even though it is an adjustment, it is nice. They also have more work to go with their new status and that leads to lots of overtime and long nights. Elena really doesn’t mind that. Anything to keep her mind of Mack’s closed door.

“Agent Rodriguez?”

So formal. “Yes?” Elena looks up from her current research.

The man is tall, well build with brown hair and a beard. She’s been seeing him around. He’s not bad to look at. His stance is professional but his eyes show a hint of interest.

“My name’s Keller. I was wondering if you need some help?”

Elena smirks a little, “Do I look like I need help?” She’s surrounded by photos and papers connected to her current case.

“Not necessarily, but I thought you might want some anyway.”

Elena takes stock of Keller. A little company couldn’t hurt.

“Sure.”

Keller smiles and sits down as Elena gets him caught up with the case.

A few hours later, Keller goes to pick up coffees for them. They decide to take a short break.

“How did you end up at SHIELD?” Keller asks as he takes a sip of his coffee, though his eyes don’t leave her face.

“I ate some fish oil tablets, got turned into stone and now I am very fast for a hearbeat.”

“I know that’s your story. But why are you here?”

“Why are you?” Keller’s piercing stare is starting to affect her.

“Nothing much to tell. I’ve had family in SHIELD. It always seemed like a good way to make a difference. Just wanted to help people.”

“Me too.” Elena thinks for a moment whether she should tell Keller about her cousin, and how Daisy and Joey found her. How she met Mack. Maybe some day.

Keller has a nice smile. And he has barely noticed her cybernetic arms. He just treats her like a normal person. It’s been a while since she’s had that.

“Maybe I’ll tell you more some other night.”

“I’d like that.” Keller sounds genuinely interested.

They exchange smiles, and it feels good. Elena could do with a new friend.


	2. Kissing and Sex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena seems to have a type: tall men who are too noble for their own good. At least this one is willing to easily throw away the 'no fratenization' rule.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I'm still writing this even though Keller died and MackElena is back together on the show (as of 6x9). I really liked what little we got of these two, and I have a hiatus and 3 eps (4 if you count 6x5 and Elena dealing with his death) of them to write about, and I will do it. 
> 
> I actually have another fic (6x4-6x5) about them coming very soon, so I'm kinda trying to update this daily until that one's deadline hits on Aug 1st. Sorry user subscribers who don't care, but good news for you, my one sub on this fic :)

Friends are nice but with Keller, Elena realizes she wants something different. She thinks he might want something too, based on his lingering eyes and touches, but for some reason, he just doesn't make a move. Elena thinks she's shown she's more than open to the possibility, but that seems to be her type: tall, handsome men who are stuck on following the rules. Or maybe it's respect. Either way, she does appreciate it while being annoyed by it. 

They're spending another long night researching the weird things that happen in the world, when Elena notices that Keller's concentration occasionally wavers, that he's been too busy just staring at her with a slight smile to really hear what she's been saying. It's annoying yet endearing. She should put a stop to it. But she doesn't want to go through the same hot/cold thing she went with Mack at the beginning of their relationship. She doesn't want to wait for a year for a proper move. 

She makes sure they are alone, doing a quick search of the nearby areas. Just because Mack ended things with her, she doesn't want rumors to spread to him needlessly. Also, SHIELD supposedly some rules about this, but Elena doesn't care. Because she's been staring at Keller too. 

Her power is quick, but if you're tuned into it, you can notice it when it happens. Keller's gotten to that point, and when she's back he looks at her with curious interest. She smiles at him as she sits next to him again. She's more than happy to make a move if Keller won't do it. 

”Do you want to kiss me?” Elena asks bluntly. It's not very romantic, but she's not quite sure what direction this relationship is heading. 

Keller stammers for a bit, before he lets out a breathy, ”Yes. But I wasn't sure if you wanted me to.” 

Elena smiles and answers him by burying her hand into his hair (he still isn't bothered by her prosthetic, which endears him to her even more) and pulls him towards herself. Keller returns her smile, puts his own hands around her face and kisses her. 

The kiss is brief but passionate, and Elena knows this is exactly what she needs right now, something simple yet powerful. 

They pull their lips apart and both of their smiles get wider. They pull apart further as they hear people coming towards their research spot. They silently decide to concentrate on their case again. But they will talk about (and continue) this later. 

***

After they crack the case, Keller walks Elena back to her room. For anyone else, their discussion seems to be professional and small talky, but now there's subtext. As Keller stays just outside her door as Elena is about to go get some rest, he tells her, ”I had a lovely time.” 

Elena laughs, and because there is no one there, ”You're talking like it was a date, instead of researching ways to unfreeze a desert lake.” 

”I mean, that was fun, don't get me wrong, but there was that other thing.” 

”That other thing was nice, indeed.” 

”I'd like to have a… 'different' type of night shift with you, at some point. If you want.” 

Elena gives Keller a blatant look over, checking him out now that she knows it's mutual, ”I'd like that, too.” She checks again quickly that no one is near, and kisses Keller again. She's allowed to have this. 

Keller walks away afterwards with a smile, towards his own room, and Elena enjoys the view before going to sleep. 

*** 

It takes them a bit of time to move forward from that. SHIELD keeps them busy with actual night shifts (with more stolen kisses making them both giggle like high school kids sometimes), but eventually they manage to get a night off. For SHIELD, that doesn't mean much, but they can have a dinner together, truly talk about all the silly small talky things. 

And this time, when Keller walks her to her door and Elena checks that they are alone, there is nothing holding them back. 

Elena pulls Keller into her room, jumps into his arms, and kisses the hell out of him, and Keller gives as good as he gets. At first, he leans back on the door but soon he switches their positions. They make out like this for a while, pulling off their clothes until Elena is wearing a t-shirt and Keller is shirtless. As Keller kisses her neck, Elena touches him all over, his back and chest, his amazing hair. 

Eventually, Keller pulls them away from the door and carries her to the bed. They fall down on it sideways, and before Keller has recovered, Elena is on top of him and kissing him. Keller buries his hands into her hair, which she let flow open during their dinner. She likes letting down her hair sometimes, being a carefree person instead of a superhero and a SHIELD agent. Keller let's her be all of them. 

When they both need to breath, Elena sits up and she means to take of her t-shirt before she hesitates slightly. Her prosthetic arms have become a part of her, and Keller has never shown himself to be averse to them. But something about the intimacy of the moment makes her pause before she shows herself to Keller completely, cybernetic arms and bullet wounds and all. Though Keller's body isn't a stranger to damage either. 

Keller has been looking at her this whole time, just silently waiting for her to figure things out for herself. ”I'm OK either way,” he tells her, taking a hold of one of her hands. That tells her all she needs to know about Keller, and soon the t-shirt is gone, and her bra follows it to the floor. 

Keller makes an appreciative sweep of her body, and it only excites her more as she gets back to kissing him. They pull apart only enough to get rid off their pants, and Elena leans over to her nightstand for a condom. 

The next half hour is full of passion and pleasure and a little laughter and some good screams (luckily the rooms at the Lighthouse are pretty sound proved). 

”Yes, yes, oh yes. Keller!” 

”Elena!” 

Elena drops her pleasurably spent body on top of Keller's, and she is really glad she did this. 

”My first name is Damon, by the way,” Keller tells her quietly as he strokes her hair. 

Elena looks at him, ”Really? That's a terrible name. Doesn't suit you at all.” 

Keller laughs, ”Thanks. You can still call me Keller.” 

”Hm, I will, ”Elena says and kisses him again. 

They end up cuddling a while longer before Keller gets dressed again, his hair a lovely mess and with a beautiful smile, he leaves Elena alone in her room. 

As Elena lays back on her bed, and waits for sleep to claim her, she thinks this could really become something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently, Keller's original name was supposed to be 'Agent Damon' and even though it's usually a name given to awful characters, I decided to use it as his first name because I can't come up with anything else. Also he probably should have told him his first name before the dating and sex but whatever. We don't even know if Elena knew it in the show.


	3. Heritage (Iranian/Finn and Colombian)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said I'd publish these daily and then didn't but that's because I had happy family stuff that took my time, (and I kinda started refreshing my Spanish) and since I often really need deadlines to write, now I have to write a chapter a day to make my deadline, so it works out. Look for the rest of this fic during the rest of July.
> 
> (Also, first paragraph is a sex scene)

Elena's hand is buried within Keller's (she still refuses to call him Damon) hair, and she grabs it a little too tightly as his tongue moves within her just right. It makes him pause with his ministrations for a moment, but the pause seems to make the next lick within her thighs feel even better. She makes an appreciative sound as her body bends and she can feel Keller's smile and his beard against her. She's close, and she sees no reason to keep quiet about it, and she moans. It spurs Keller on, and as soon as his thumb touches her clit, she's a goner. 

She comes down from her high slowly, and by that point Keller has moved next to her, leaning on his fist and just staring at her with an appreciative glint in his eyes. Elena pulls him in for a kiss, and she likes the way she tastes in his mouth, and what his beard feels under her hand. 

”How come you're not hairy anywhere else?” She asks, as her hand moves down his smooth chest. 

Keller laughs, ”Would you want me to be?” 

Elena tilts her head and smirks, ”I'm not scared of a little body hair.” 

”Yeah, well, my heritage is Iranian and Finn, so imagine” he points at his slightly messy beard, ”except on everything, everywhere. It's a mess,” he tells her with a jokey tone. 

Elena laughs, ”You're too American.” 

”Maybe I am,” Keller says, sounding amused. 

Elena shakes her head and kisses him, _”Tu eres afortunado eres lindo [you are lucky you are cute]_ ” she tells him in Spanish as she slides on top of him. Their night isn't over yet. 

Keller puts his arms on her waist, ”I'm a _'tu'_ instead of _'usted'_? I'm honored.” 

”Oh, you'll be honored, alright,” she tells him and they both laugh before other activities change the sounds they make. 

*** 

Afterwards, they cuddle as Keller strokes her hair (this is really starting to become serious, apparently) when he asks, ”What was it like to grow up in Bogotá?” 

It's weird for Elena to realize how long she's been away from there. It's been a few years now, since she last visited her home. Has she been there since the secret warriors thing started? She can't quite remember. 

”It was beautiful, and harsh, and lovely. My family is still there. Well, most of it is. I miss it. It's home.” 

”Do you miss speaking Spanish?” 

”Oh, all the time. When I first joined SHIELD, there was another Inhuman, Joey Gutierrez, and we'd speak Spanish all the time. Mack managed to learn some, but my English was better than his Spanish, so we dropped it.” It's only after she stops talking that she realized she mentioned Mack. The way their relationship ended is still a sore spot for her, and she's not sure they are up to the point of talking about exes right now. 

”Your English is very impressive. I've never learned any other language. Like you said, I'm too American.” 

Elena is glad Keller skipped over the whole Mack bit. She looks at him and gives him a dismayed look, ”No other languages? _Dios mio._ ” 

”Well, I don't think high school French counts.” 

”Hm, I suppose not. Even though SHIELD is supposed to be spies, they don't really know other languages. It's shameful.” 

Keller nods with a smirk. "True." 

Elena lays back down on Keller's chest (he should be leaving soon, if they want to keep this thing of theirs a secret), and Keller's hand resumes his stroking, her hair, down her back. Elena enjoys the feeling and takes a moment to make a decision. 

”I didn't get Terrigenesis from fish oil.” Keller's hand's movements don't stop, but Elena can feel him nod. ”I was having dinner with my cousin Fransisco, we were having _carlote pescado_ , when suddenly I felt like rock was swallowing me whole. When I broke free of it, Francisco was upset with worry. But it was during the epidemic, and we had heard about the confiscation of fish oil. It took me a few days to realize my power, a few more to learn to control it, know how it works. Francisco was with me the whole time. We figured out what I could accomplish with my power and it felt like a slightly scary gift from God.” She pauses, looks at Keller for a reaction. He just nods, with a thoughtful look on his face. ”The police in Colombia are corrupt, and they have the power because they have the guns. So I took the guns away. My power got SHIELD involved, and that's how I met them. I lost my cousin. He was killed to punish me. I got my revenge, eventually. He paid for what he did.” 

Elena looks at Keller again, fearing she'll see judgement, or something worse, in his eyes. Instead, there's nothing but sympathy and he kisses her forehead and tells her, ”Family is important.” 

Like so many times before, Elena thinks this could really become something. But she doesn't want to think about the consequences of that possibility. 

”Your turn. How did you really get involved with SHIELD?” She remember a mention of a family history with SHIELD but Keller hasn't told her anything else. 

”In the mid-90s, my uncle of some kind, was even the Director of SHIELD. But something happened to him and he died. It was classified, so we never found out what.” 

”Have you found out now, that you're in SHIELD?” 

Keller shrugs, ”I didn't really know him, so I haven't made the effort yet to find out whether I have the clearance for it. What is important is he did something brave and good at SHIELD and I wanted to do the same.” 

Elena thinks about their different experiences on family and heritage. They are kind of from different worlds. 

Maybe Keller is thinking the same thing, because as he tucks her hair behind her ear he says, ”I wish I had your connection to your heritage. I only kinda feel like that about my home town. It's why I suggested Fox for this mission.” 

Agent Fox is a pretty new agent that Elena has seen Keller take under his wing. It's actually quite sweet. 

”I hate to do this, but I should probably start going, actually get some sleep tonight,” Keller says with real regret in his voice. Elena shares the feeling as she sits up and Keller starts looking for his clothes and putting them on. Even if he is a bit too hairless, she still enjoys looking at his body as it disappears under his clothes. 

Before Keller opens her door, he turns back, ”Oh, and I would love for you to speak more Spanish. I might not understand much, but I'm willing to make the effort.” 

Elena smiles from her bed, she's touched, _”Gracias.”_

Keller gives her one more smile, before he disappears from her room into the hopefully empty hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sometimes I like using Lucas Bryant (Keller)'s own words about stuff like this, and that whole heritage/hairiness stuff is based on him talking on Discover Haven livestream  
> (https://demisexualnathanvuornos.tumblr.com/post/159073055383/nathan-wuornos-lucas-bryant-haven-4x7-lay-me) about a nude scene he did. Also I chose to give him a bit of French because as a Canadian he can speak some French and I've seen a few videos of him doing it but I don't know how fluent he is.
> 
> *Also, I connected the two 2019 MCU Kellers because why not (Captain Marvel's Director Keller, but I've only seen the movie once soon after the premier and I fon't remember details about him). 
> 
> *Also, I hadn't managed to start my Elena-scentric rewatch when I wrote the first chapter so I didn't remember how she got the terrigenesis. I do think she might go with a short, 'official' explanation like the fish oil pills before she knew Keller, so I don't feel the need to fix that mistake. Also, 'carlote pescado' is what the dish sounded like to me with my limited Spanish, but I'm pretty sure it's wrong because I didn't find anything with that on google, so if someone knows what the dish actually was, I'd love to fix it and put accurate information here. My Spanish is still terrible and that whole cute line is from google translate. 
> 
> *Also, heads up or something, next chapter will deal with MackElena break up.


	4. Exes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena and Mack had an argument over a case. Keller wants to know what happened between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to say that I do like MackElena, they were a good relationship but they were not a perfect one, and when I went back and actually watched s5b, the off screen break up kinda made sense to me. And my Elena-rewatch showed that their getting together also took longer than I remembered (basically a full season!) and wasn't without issues. They had problems that they didn't have time to deal with, and that broke them apart and it kinda made sense. Still not really well done on screen, I think. 
> 
> And again, I know they are back together, and Idk if Keller's presence ended up even meaning anything, because I haven't watched beyond 6x5 yet so I don't know if their reunion made sense or not, but hope they are now better together. But I'm still bitter Keller had to die.

This time, their 'night shift' brought them to Keller's room instead of Elena's like they usually do. It's been a difficult day. Elena and Mack got into an argument over how to handle a situation in front of everyone and the aftermath of the situation left Elena feeling frustrated and in need of a release. Keller's room was closer, and he was happy to provide her one. 

But this time, she doesn't feel like staying for pillow talk like Keller has developed a habit of doing. She's still not quite sure what this thing between them is. Sometimes, she still misses Mack, even as a friend, and there is so much Keller doesn't know about her. Trauma can bond people together, but it didn't seem to do a good job with her and Mack. Being with Keller is easier. Usually. 

”What happened between you two?” Keller asks, apparently not wanting her to leave without some conversation, still laying down, his hair rumpled and only a sheet covering the lower half of his body, as Elena sits on the edge of the bed looking for her clothes. He doesn't sound jealous, just curious. She turns to look at him and his face is-- solemn, seems like the best word. ”We live in almost isolation, here, rumors spread,” he explains further, with a slight smile now and still his words don't hold jealousy. It's one of the reasons why she likes him. It's all so very adult, in a good way. 

”You really want to have this conversation?” Elena asks and tries to sound teasing. 

Keller sits up, brings up his knees and leans on them, ”Yeah.” 

There's subtext there. Keller doesn't mind what this conversation says about the seriousness of their relationship. Maybe she doesn't mind either. 

”Mack become Director, and that meant he had to enforce his own rules. Including the 'no dating' between coworkers. He takes his job very seriously.” 

”And he does it well. But that's it?” 

She turns away from Keller. It would be easier if their relationship had ended just because of a promotion. If it was just about Mack trying to live up to Coulson's legacy, and treating their relationship either as a distraction or as a rule violation. But last year was hard. Everything after the Framework has been difficult. They never had time to deal with it all, and then… she lost her arms, and even though he got her these awesome new ones, he never looked at her the same way afterwards. And he didn't approve of what she did to Ruby Hale. She still feels like she did the right thing, because Destroyer of Worlds or not, she was a danger to everyone. But also, she is not quite above revenge. She doesn't know if she can tell these things to Keller. Keller doesn't know of her past mistakes, he doesn't know what she was like before she got these arms. 

She turns to look at Keller again, who lets the silence linger until she knows what to say and she appreciates that, and she likes the way Keller looks at her. Like she's strong and precious. She doesn't want to lose that. 

”We've been through a lot, together, separately. Everything that happened the last few years, the pressure of the new job… we just couldn't survive that.” 

”But you still care about him?” 

Elena looks confused, ”Of course.” 

Keller just nods at that, but he doesn't seem bothered by her answer. 

”So, your turn. Any significant exes I should know about?” 

Keller smirks and shrugs, ”I'm a serial monogamist, though nothing has yet worked out, probably because of the job. Just a string of long relationships that eventually fell apart over one reason or another.” 

Elena gives herself some time to think about that by finally getting off the bed and putting on her clothes. Keller has taken her old spot by the edge of the bed when she's done. Elena walks back to him, ”Hope you find something that lasts,” she says then gives him a kiss. 

”I hope I have,” Keller says, and it's really corny and serious and Elena's not sure how to react. 

”See you another night,” is the only thing she says as she leaves. 

As she walks towards her own room, she walks past the Director's office and she refuses to check whether or not Mack is still there, hard at work. He's the one who didn't fight for them. She has no regrets about moving on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up is the last of the 5 night shifts from Elena's pov, dealing with 6x1 Missing Pieces. The last chapter will be Keller's pov of 6x2.


	5. Postponed Night Shift  (6x1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How obvious does your attraction have to be for Melinda May to notice it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don't know my style, I use italics on canon quotes, so don't be taken aback by all that.
> 
> Because of all that canon, writing this took longer than I planned and it's already 31st for me. I'll write the Keller pov chapter for 6x1 and 6x2 later today and the other fic is on track to be published on Aug 1st.

They've finally made some progress on these strange happenings (she really doesn't want to call them anomalies), and Keller and Elena go with different teams to figure out where the next event is going to happen. She has gotten used to working with Keller over the past year, but they don't have to always be on the same team. This time, splitting up probably makes sense. 

And she knows he's in good company with May, but she does feel better when she hears his voice through the intercom. 

_Keller: ”That'll be us.”_

Hopefully they will find some answers, though Elena feels a bit frustrated that she doesn't get to go where the action is.

*** 

Elena tries not to show her nervousness when Keller has to come back from the mission through the infirmary. She is relieved to see only his left hand is bandaged, so hopefully it's not too terrible. There is a part of her that wants to check on him immediately, but they are not open about their relationship (whatever type it is) yet. So, she just stands close but not too close to him as they go over what they learned and what they should do differently next time they encounter this man who can walk through walls and who knows what else.

_Mack: "How could you lose him?! What good is it getting there in time if we don't take this guy down?"_

_Keller: "I had a clear shot, but then May warned me about the kids, which made it feel a lot less like a clear shot."_

_Mack: "You did the right thing. But you were wrong for engaging in the air. We needed feet on the ground."_

_Fox: "Or more bodies in the field? If Yo-Yo was -"_

_Elena: "I was in another jet. And remember, Mack, all you've been talking about for the past three days..."_

_Melinda May: "Speed."_

_Agent Keller: "Getting there in time."_

_Elena: "...was speed."_ Elena hopes no one catches the fact that Keller was on the same page as her and May about what Mack has been talking about. Even though she's not with Mack anymore, she is still one of his most trusted agents and May is still his right hand woman. Of course, Keller is also around for some of these discussions, but maybe people might question how on the same page he is about this. They do talk about work a lot. And at least he worded it differently. Best to just move on and hope no one noticed it. _"Try to catch the person who's been creating all these... I don't even know that to call them."_

Next they just discuss non important terminology, which Fox seems to be very interested in doing, until Mack shuts it down and brings up the good news of no casualties, bystanders or agents.

_Mack: "Look, regardless, the good news is, - no innocents were killed."_

_Elena: "Not to mention Agents."_

_Mack: "Well, that goes without saying. But it's worth saying. You got knocked around, but everyone's okay?"_

Elena's eyes go to Keller without meaning to. His hand looks bad, but otherwise he's fine. Keller nods in general acknowledgement that everyone, including him, are fine. She hopes nobody noticed her look.

_Mack: "We, We need workable theories, people. Anything, even stupid ideas are welcome."_

_Elena: "Our two brightest minds are MIA. Still no contact with them?"_ She misses Daisy and Jemma, and hopes they've made some headway with their own mission. 

_Mack: "Not in months."_

That's sad and frustrating to hear. Hopefully they are alright.

_Agent Fox: "Sir. Keller has a theory."_

Keller hasn't mentioned any theories of his own to her, and his slightly sarcastic smile at Fox is probably the reason why. Maybe his theory is not ready yet.

_Keller: "Thanks. Well, uh we both have been looking at these locations, trying to find a connection."_

Mack: _"Good."_

Keller: _"This park, as well as the city bus with the holes torn through it and the lake that froze solid in the middle of the desert."_

_Fox: "They all sit on Ley Lines. Energy lines that crisscross the Earth in a sort of pattern."_

_Keller: "Multiple cultures have believed in some version of this. Incan, Aborigine, Native American. Maybe we can use that to narrow the search. And don’t you all look at me like that. You said stupid ideas are welcome. I’m full of them."_

He directs the punchline towards Elena, and she tries very hard not to join in on the laughter. The joke is just what is needed to help break the tension in the room, a simple moment of levity, but Elena doesn't want to risk exposing her relationship with Keller and she stiffles her laughter. (Maybe that was what tipped May off.) 

_Mack: "We'd be stupid not to consider anything at this point. You two stay on it. Yo-Yo, I want you back training with May. This gunman looked like a monster, he might actually be one. So you might need to handle him."_

Elena: _"You got it."_ She could really do with a work out, something to get her mind off things. And she wants to be on her best when she has to confront this guy. May is good, but Elena's the one with the superpowers. She's meant to be the big gun in Daisy's absence. 

Mack: _"All right, everyone else, you know your assignments. So let's get to work. I'm late for my morning check-in."_

_Fox: "Who does the boss got to check in with?"_

_Keller: "His boss."_

Elena follows May to the training room but she can't help thinking of Coulson as she hears Keller refer to him. She still misses him too.

***

It feels good to let loose, fight and let some steam out, train her arms to be more a part of her. May is a great sparring partner for that.

_May: "Good. Remember your foot position on impact. You know, your poker face needs work, too."_

_Elena: "I need a poker face while I’m fighting?"_ Sometimes May's advice comes out of left field. 

May: _"Doesn’t hurt. But I meant in the meeting today."_

Elena: _"What are you talking about?"_ Elena hopes that if she evades the question enough, May will let it go.

May: _"Agent Keller? He’s obviously attracted to you. And you try hard not to laugh at his jokes. I’m betting it’s mutual."_

Elena: _"That against the rules or something?"_ She knows there *are* some rules against it, but if they aren't on the same teams, it shouldn't matter.

May: _"No. That’s my point. You should feel free to pursue it, have a drink with him. No doubt Mack’s picking up on it, too, but you shouldn’t have to protect his feelings."_

Elena: _"That’s easy to say. How can I not?"_ A part of her wishes it was just as simple as having a drink with Keller, ignoring how it might affect Mack. But she cares about both men and doesn't want to hurt them. 

May: _"He’s a grown man."_

Elena: _"Look, I’ve tried everything, you know? I was willing to work on it, but…"_ she really tried with Mack, at first. He's the one who gave up.

May: _"He dove into his job 100%, locked himself in that office."_

Elena: _"Mack didn’t close the doors to avoid distractions. He just closed the doors on me."_ It still hurts to acknowledge that. 

May: _"You two have been through a lot. But now it’s been a year, and if last year has taught me anything, it’s that life isn’t meant to be lived alone. I don’t often give advice, but that’s my advice."_

Elena: _"Yeah, that was a lot of talking. Are you okay?"_ It's better to just make a joke, but maybe May is right. Maybe she should try to move on more officially. But maybe it isn't. She needs to take some time to think. 

May: _"And besides, Keller’s cute."_

Elena: _"Not my type."_ She tries to disagree but May knows better.

May: _"Like I said, needs work."_

He really is cute, and her type. She has a thing for tall and cute men risking their lives for the greater good. Even as she concentrates on her training again, she tries to figure out what to do about this situation she finds herself in.

***

As she exits the training room, she wonders just how blatant someone's attraction has to be for *Melinda May* to notice it. Pretty damn blatant. She should have just laughed along with everyone else. Her non reaction was more noticiable than her reaction would have been.

She's been enjoying this thing between her and Keller for the past few months. He's funny and cute and smart and understanding. Exactly what she's been needing for so long. But now that it's not completely secret anymore, she's not sure what to do about it.

And then, speak of the devil.

Agent Keller: _"Excuse me. Agent Rodriguez. Uh, Fox and I are eager to chase our wacky Ley Lines theory, but we need time in Control to sort through the data and we need approval from a unit commander and you’re a unit commander, so…"_

Elena: _"Go ahead. There have been stranger theories that proved to be true."_

Keller: _"Thank you."_

They've gotten good at playing professional with each other, so for a moment Elena thinks about just continuing like that. But they should get on the same page about this. 

Elena: _"Agent May is onto us."_

Keller turns back, surprised.

Keller: _"Really? ‘Cause I’ve been playing it pretty cool. She knows?"_

Elena: _"Suspects. I may be playing it too cool."_ She confesses with a smile. 

They never really talked where this thing of theirs is going. And now that May suspects, and Mack might know, maybe they should take a break. Somehow, Keller is on the same page.

Keller: _"So, you want to put on the brakes? Call off the night shift? And I was already planning to go full nerd herd this evening anyway, so…"_

Elena: _"It would probably be wise."_

Keller: _"It’s all good. You know where to find me."_

She feels the need to explain that this is about her. She is not sure where this thing between them is going, how she feels about people knowing. But really, this time off is for her.

Elena: _"We’ll just… We’ll just take some time."_

Keller: _"‘Cause it’s wise."_

Elena: _"For me. It’s for myself. I’m not afraid of Mack finding out."_

Keller: _"Well, I am. He is not small."_

They share smiles. Keller really is funny. 

Keller: _"Honestly, I’ve too much respect for the guy. I’d much rather we tell him about it than have him stumble on it. He has enough to deal with."_

Elena: _"Yeah, and he’s just started to trust you. You don’t want to mess that up."_

Keller: _"I absolutely do not. But it’s your call, however you want to handle it. I’m more than happy to spend my nights alone."_

Elena laughs silently at Keller's accidental joke and she gives him one last look as he goes back to Control to look into his ley lines theory with Fox. One of the reasons she has been with Keller is how respectful he has been about her history with Mack and what she wants from this relationship. She's not sure where they will go from here, but she has no regrets over what they've already had. 

With that discussion dealt with, Elena continues her way towards the lab. She has her own job to do. 

*** 

She goes with Mack and May to check out the corpse Alpha team brought to Marcus Benson's, the new bright mind type's, lab. Suddenly the corpse comes alive and talks about approaching doom like they always do (Mack's first instinct was to push her to safety, that's something at least) but at last it finally gives them a new clue. The time and place for the next weird event. 

Mack: _"We may have our next location. Fox, put in these coordinates. 40-12-14.7 north. 85-24-40.3 west."_

Fox: _"Ha, look at that, right on a Ley Line. Just saying."_

Mack: _"No, you were right. Keller, take Fox with you. May, Yo-Yo, take point."_

Fox: _"Yes, sir."_

_"Elena: We'll get on the road. You get on the comms and let us know where we're going."_

They arrive at a museum and at first nothing seems out of place. Agents crawl all over the place, getting into positions and finding out what is going on, what is going to happen. Suddenly a woman with a bleeding head comes out of the museum, claiming there are hostages. Fox helps the woman and brings her to safety by SHIELD's cars. It's hard to know what to expect. 

_Snowflake: Don't worry. You'll be a butterfly._

Mack whispers, _"No."_ over the intercoms and before Elena can figure out what is going on, Keller yells " _Get down!_ and then something explodes. 

When Elena comes to, she can just about make out May asking if she's OK. There's ringing in her ears, and as she looks around after telling May to "go", she can see Keller's body laying on the ground. She has no way of knowing if he's ok. She really hopes he is.

She doesn't have the energy to stand up but soon she hears some familiar voices, Fox and... it can't be... (Coulson?) But before she can think about that more, she hears a gunshot. This mission really did not go well. 


	6. Keller (6x1-6x2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keller's pov of 6x1 and 6x2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this took way longer than I planned, but this was a lot more extensive than I first planned (it's over 4000+ words!) and I had a bit of a writing block with this fic. But now this is done, and I will be writing the sequel at some point, as well as the Spanish translation (and maybe a Finnish one too). And maybe a Keller Lives AU, who knows (yes, I liked him enough that I might write that. If someone can write a dozen fics bemoaning his month long existence, I can write as much about him as I want)
> 
> Thank you for reading, hope you enjoy!

Damon Keller 's family has long been associated with SHIELD. Keller himself wondered occasionally whether to join them or to go a more traditional route. But it never seemed like the right time, even after superheroes and alien attacks started becoming a semi-regular occurrence. But when SHIELD was legitimized again in 2018, Keller decided to join it. Their mission seemed worthwhile and interesting. He felt like he could find his purpose there, but he didn't think he would find romance too. 

It was hard not to notice Elena 'Yoyo' Rodriguez. She is a beautiful woman with cyborg hands (though you get used to those quickly) and an Inhuman with superpowers. She's also a good agent who gets involved with all the interesting missions, so Keller decides to try to show his skills to her. They end up working together well, and enjoying each other's company in many ways. He didn't want to push Elena in to anything she wasn't ready for (he knew of her former relationship with Mack, but at this point, it doesn't really matter to what they have), but after some time of making eyes at each other, and some light flirting and talking and laughing and hooking up (what they affectionately end up calling 'night shifts'), things develop into something that could be very real. 

But at first, it's not necessary anything serious. They're single adults who enjoy each other's company, but the more Keller gets to know Elena, the more he likes what he sees. Their 'night shifts' become more intimate, and Keller starts thinking it might really lead to something. Although, for now, they are just having fun. But he has to admit, at least to himself, that he could really fall for her. He hopes the feeling is mutual, though they are in no rush to make it official. There are protocols and other people's feelings to consider, too. 

**6x1**

Keller's current mission has him working with May, which he enjoys very much. May is a good agent, a real legend, and he's happy that his skills are appreciated enough that he was chosen for the Alpha team. Though a part of him misses working with Elena. But today, Director MacKenzie is trying out a new tactic in order to catch whoever is responsible for these weird occurrences around the world. This means multiple teams in all over America, with different skill sets. And he ended up being on the right team, 

_"That'll be us,"_ he confirms when the Director calls out Castleton, Indiana as the location of the next event. 

In Castleton, they catch the first glimpse of whoever is creating these reality warps or whatever they are. He's a big man appearing on a playground out of a wall, waiting for something, that turns out to be another man who doesn't make it through the wall. Keller's ready to shoot, though he heeds May's warning to be mindful of the kids nearby. Whether that ends up being a mistake is open to interpretation, but the hesitation gives the man enough time to shoot them down with a big ass gun. 

Luckily, no one gets killed in the crash, though Keller's hand ends up damaged. He'll have to go to the infirmary once they get to the headquarters. But first, they need to update the Director about the situation. 

_"Director MacKenzie will be worried."_

_"He'll be pissed,"_ Agent May interjects, and Keller must admit, she's not wrong. This mission brought them some progress, but not enough. 

When they finally get back to the headquarters, Keller goes straight to the infirmary to show his hand. The injury isn't serious, but he has to keep it bandaged for the next few days. It does hurt a little, so he takes an aspirin before joining everyone else at the debriefing. He's pretty sure that Elena spares a glance in his direction when he arrives, but he tries not to make an obvious note of that since they are still keeping their thing a secret. He arrives just in time to justify part of the failure of the mission. 

_Mack: "How could you lose him?! What good is it getting there in time if we don't take this guy down?"_

_Keller: "I had a clear shot, but then May warned me about the kids, which made it feel a lot less like a clear shot."_

_Mack: "You did the right thing.”_ Mack accepts his reasoning, but he is still frustrated, and Keller doesn't really blame him. They were so close to some proper progress yet they still don't really know what is going on with these events. 

_Mack: ”But you were wrong for engaging in the air. We needed feet on the ground."_

_Fox: "Or more bodies in the field? If Yo-Yo was -"_

_Elena: "I was in another jet. And remember, Mack, all you've been talking about for the past three days..."_

_Melinda May: "Speed."_

_Agent Keller: "Getting there in time."_

_Elena: "...was speed."_

Keller and Elena end up talking over each other about the best approach, and he hopes no one noticed that, or if they did, they don't think much of it. They have been working together a lot lately, especially with this mission. May also uses the same words, so they should be good. 

When the topic of the fortunate lack of casualties comes up and Mack asks for confirmation that everyone's OK, Keller nods to no one in particular. His hand was the biggest injury, and everyone should really be glad about that. He's pretty sure that this time he does feel Elena's eyes on himself, but he doesn't dare to look. They can talk about that later. But he can't claim to not be happy about her overt show of concern. 

When Mack desperately asks for theories, Fox volunteers the Ley lines theory they've been working on for a while, ever since the locations of the events started showing a pattern. His theory is still a work in progress, and he maybe wasn't quite ready to bring it up but what the hell, today's location fits the pattern and it's at least something, finally a possibly proper new angle to work on. He still gives Fox a slightly sarcastic smile to show his slight displeasure at being put on the spot before he's quite ready. 

_Agent Fox: "Sir. Keller has a theory."_

_Keller: "Thanks. Well, uh we both have been looking at these locations, trying to find a connection."_

_Mack: "Good."_

_Keller: "This park, as well as the city bus with the holes torn through it and the lake that froze solid in the middle of the desert."_

_Fox: "They all sit on ley lines. Energy lines that crisscross the Earth in a sort of pattern."_

_Keller: "Multiple cultures have believed in some version of this. Incan, Aborigine, Native American. Maybe we can use that to narrow the search. And don’t you all look at me like that. You said stupid ideas are welcome. I’m full of them."_

People around him laugh, and the levity really helps with the overall mood. He smiles at Elena, who purposefully doesn't laugh or even smile back. Maybe that was too forward. Maybe no one will notice their exchange. 

Whether anyone does or does not notice, Mack accepts his theory, or at least finds it worthy enough to pursue further and that means that Keller and Fox have a long night ahead of them. Keller doesn't mind hard work, although it does mean he should talk with Elena a bit later to clear the situation. He already has a good excuse to talk to her. He's always happy to have a reason or excuse to talk to her, professionally of course. 

The meeting ends, and Mack makes a comment about reporting to someone. Apparently Fox hasn't seen the Coulson hologram yet because he wonders, 

_"Who does the boss need to report to?"_

_"His boss."_ Keller never met Phil Coulson, but he heard a lot about him. He's been in SHIELD as long as Keller has been aware of it. Sometimes, he hears or even listens to the tips Coulson's hologram gives Mack. He seemed to have been a smart man. It's a shame he never met him. 

***

After the debrief, Keller has lunch and figures out what he will need to pursue the ley lines theory. He is taking a short break, and talking to fellow agents to pass the time while in reality he's waiting for Elena to end her training session with May. 

_"Excuse me,"_ he tells his colleagues, as he follows Elena further into the hallway. While he has a legit, professional reason to talk to her, he also really wants to see her, even if only for a moment. 

_Keller: "Agent Rodriguez. Uh, Fox and I are eager to chase our wacky Ley Lines theory, but we need time in Control to sort through the data and we need approval from a unit commander and you’re a unit commander, so…"_ he's really good at projection professionalism and he's definitely not thinking about the other ways he might have spend tonight if not for this theory. 

_Elena: "Go ahead. There have been stranger theories that proved to be true."_ Elena is really good at professionalism too. 

_Keller: "Thank you."_ Even though he'd like to talk some more with her, but that should probably wait for later, when they have more time, so Keller starts walking away. 

_Elena: "Agent May is onto us."_

Or maybe it can't wait after all. 

_Keller: "Really? ‘Cause I’ve been playing it pretty cool. She knows?"_ He really thought he was better actor than that. May knows? Wow. She is a good agent, but Keller had gathered that romantic stuff were sometimes out of her wheelhouse. 

_Elena: "Suspects. I may be playing it too cool."_ Elena laughs a little, and Keller responds with a small smile. 

Someone maybe knowing makes the whole thing a lot more real suddenly. He suspects why Elena wanted to talk about it as soon as possible. 

_Keller: "So, you want to put on the brakes? Call off the night shift? And I was already planning to go full nerd herd this evening anyway, so…"_ nothing was going to happen tonight anyway, because the mission comes first, but maybe a break would be good anyway. Let them both figure out where this is or isn't going. 

_Elena: "It would probably be wise."_

_Keller: "It’s all good. You know where to find me."_ Even though Keller might wish this was more official, it is still casual, and a small break isn't a big a deal. But he still keeps the situation open. He really won't mind if she changes her mind. 

_Elena: "We’ll just… We’ll just take some time."_ Elena sounds a bit hesitant. 

_Keller: " ‘Cause it’s wise."_ He repeats her words to show that he understands what she means. 

_Elena: "For me. It’s for myself. I’m not afraid of Mack finding out."_

Keller decides to lighten the mood a bit with a joke, _Keller: "Well, I am. He is not small,”_ and it works. Elena smiles at him and he really loves that smile. _”Honestly, I’ve too much respect for the guy. I’d much rather we tell him about it than have him stumble on it. He has enough to deal with."_ And he means it. He respects that Elena and Mack have a past, and he respects Mack as a boss and he doesn't want to jeopardize his career over romantic entanglements. And he knows Elena feels the same way. 

_Elena: "Yeah, and he’s just started to trust you. You don’t want to mess that up."_

_Keller: "I absolutely do not. But it’s your call, however you want to handle it. I’m more than happy to spend my nights alone."_

That last line did not come out quite as it was intended but it leaves Elena with a smile on her face when Keller leaves to go to the Cotrol room with Fox, so it wasn't that bad. If Elena needs some time to think things over, he's happy to give it to her. And he really has to go all nerd herd tonight anyway. 

*** 

Keller and Fox go over all the locations where strange stuff has happened over the past year or so, trying to find new patterns, read up on what various cultures say about the Ley lines, trying to figure out something useful. They are still in the middle of that when people barge into the room with new information, including the next target. Research has to wait. Keller is not quite sure whether Fox is ready to be on the field, but he makes himself a mental note to look out for him as best he can. Fox at least seems excited by the opportunity and maybe he'll be helpful. They really don't know what to expect when they arrive to this new location. They only have the time and place. Well, this is part of being a SHIELD agent, going into the unknown so others don't have to. 

Very quickly the target, a museum, is crawling with agents. It's always worrying to get into a situation where you don't know what will happen. They only know when something will happen, but based on their previous missions, who knows what this one will entail. The only thing they really can do is stay alert and adjust to the situation as it develops. 

Suddenly a bleeding woman runs to the top of the steps from inside the museum, yelling about her son being taken hostage. Fox takes care of her, which is good, hopefully that will keep him save, and out of harms way. The deadline is fast approaching, and while Keller is very used to these situation and keeps his cool, a part of him is still on edge because of all the unknown aspects of this situation. 

_”Don't worry, you'll be a butterfly,”_ the woman suddenly says and everyone can hear it through the intercom. Keller doesn't have much time to think of much more than 'what the fuck was that?' before he hears Mack's quite _"No,"_ on the intercom. 

The woman drops to the ground and Keller has a bad feeling about this. 

_Keller: Get down!_ he yells before a huge blast knocks him out. 

**6x2**

Sometime later, Keller briefly wakes up at the infirmary. He had a minor concussion from getting hit by the blast and hitting the ground, but otherwise his only injury is his still aching hand. He was really lucky. He tries to look around for whoever else got hurt, and he's happy to not see Elena there among the injured, though he does see her up and about there, looking over the situation. Unfortunately, he doesn't see Fox, and it doesn't take long for him to find out why. He asks around, and when a nurse tells him that Fox is dead, it hits him hard, and though Elena is busy with other things, she does give him a sympathetic look. At first he is surprised by how much Fox’s death hurts him, because hadn’t quite realized how fond he had become of the kid. But soon the guilt hits, and he’s glad to fall asleep again soon. 

During the next morning, as soon as he’s allowed to, he gets up and goes to the Control room, to find out what happened after he was knocked out. He’s not the only one there, and he notices that the morning’s debriefing hasn’t started yet. Fox’s file is on the big screen, and seeing it really hurts. He was too damn young. He was supposed to take care of him. But he manages to just about keep his emotions in check, there will be time for those later. Mack gives a lovely speech about what Fox thought SHIELD stood for, and it once again reminds Keller why he joined in the first place. 

_Mack: Fox told me he wanted to join S.H.I.E.L.D. because we protect people from their worst nightmares. Or at least we try. We can't bring him back, but we can save other lives, fix something else, and that's what we're gonna do. Jaross. Runko. Keep scanning for any more of these disturbances. Keller, comb through security footage from the museum again and see if we missed anything. Yo-Yo, help him out.”_

_Elena: "On it."_

Keller just nods, knowing that this is important, but not trusting himself to speak yet. 

_Mack: "I want you supervising the search for that truck. Anyone gets a lead, sound the alarm. Go."_

He and Elena leave the Control room at the same time, but instead of finding a place where they could go over the footage again together, Keller goes to his room alone to do that. He needs to deal with this alone for a bit, and Elena respects that. One good thing about them getting paired up is that it means, if Mack knows about them, he doesn't try to separate them, that he trusts them to work together and that they work together well. It’s a small comfort. 

He goes over the footage over and over again, seeing what he missed. He could deal without seeing someone who looks like Phil Coulson shooting Fox in cold blood. After a while, he ends up just watching a still of Fox's body laying on the ground. He brought Fox into SHIELD, into this unit. He was his responsibility. His dead is a guilt he needs to deal with and carry with him. It hurts, but he'll deal with it on his own. He doesn't want to burden Elena with this, not after she asked for some time for herself to figure out whether she wants to continue their thing. He'll be fine, eventually. 

But while he's in deep thought, still staring at Fox's body, there's a knock on his open door. He looks up and it's Elena. In other circumstances, he would smile at her. But right now, he's still too sad. 

_Elena: "Don’t torture yourself."_

_Keller: "Just going through it. Gotta do something."_

Keller puts the tablet face down on the table, as Elena comes to sit next to him on the couch. He feels slightly frustrated, not being able to do anything, not yesterday, not now. He rubs at his hands together, concentrating on the bandage rather than at Elena. He’s not sure he’s comfortable with her seeing him like this. 

_Elena: "I’m sorry. He was from your hometown, right?"_

_Keller: “Nearby.”_ He nods, and closes his eyes, thinking of Fox, his youthful excitement and his wasted potential. _“He was me 10 years ago."_

_Elena: "That’s giving yourself a lot of credit.”_

He opens his eyes and looks at her and they both smile and laugh a little. It helps ease the tension. 

Elena: “You know, I’m here if you need me." 

He appreciates her words, but he still remembers what she said yesterday. And this isn’t the first time he’s been through this. It’s never easy, but he knows how to deal with it. 

_Keller: "I’ll be okay."_

_Elena: "But you don’t have to get there alone."_

That confuses him, because based on last time, he thought she needed some space. 

_Keller: "And yesterday, when you said—"_

_Elena: That was yesterday."_

Keller would love to know what that means but before he can ask, Elena’s phone peeps 

_Elena: "There’s been a sighting."_

Elena leaves without another word to follow up on this new information, and it’s not like Keller doesn’t get that. Someone who looks like Phil Coulson is going around killing people and committing crimes, and they don’t have time to finish emotional conversations when lives are potentially at risk. 

Keller stays behind to continue going over the footage and deal with his grief. But after a while he has to put the tablet down again, because he keeps going over Elena's words. 'That was yesterday.' Was she saying what he thinks she was saying? Did she change her mind about needing space? Does she want to pursue this further? They really need to have a conversation about all this as soon as they can find a minute to spare. 

Eventually he manages to stop obsessing over his relationship, and starts going over all the information they have, trying to make some kind of break in this case. But not long after he starts doing that, he gets called into the Control room. There's been a sighting and Keller needs to lead a TAC team to a jewelry store that fake Coulson is apparently robbing. He could do with some action, to take his mind of Fox and Elena. 

It feels good to be back in gear, working a case with Elena and May, though the more they find out about the situation, the less sense it makes. An interview with the jewelry store employee afterwards tells them that they wanted crystals rather than jewels. Why? How does this guy who looks exactly like Coulson be so unlike the man Keller heard so much about? What are these people after? Where are they getting their technology? There's plenty of questions, very little answers. 

When they come back to the base, Keller can't help but feel as defeated as May looked. They just mostly learned that they have technology they can’t even begin to understand, and they don’t understand fake Coulson and co.’s motive. Nothing but more questions. It’s been another long, frustrating day. 

It’s getting late, so Keller starts to get ready for bed when his now closed door has another knock on it. It’s Elena again, and this time Keller does have a smile for her. 

Without much preamble, Elena enters his room and says, “Screw yesterday,” closes his door and jumps into his ready arms. Keller knows they need to talk but that can wait for later. They kiss as Keller walks them to his bed and for the next hour, Keller lets all the awful stuff going on wade away. 

***

Afterwards, Keller strokes Elena's now freely flowing curly hair. Elena hasn't made a move yet to leave, which he takes as encouraging. They really should talk, though.

"What made you change your mind about us?" 

Elena props herself up on his chest, and Keller is struck by just how beautiful she is. 

"It was May. First she told me to go for it, then because of fake Coulson told me to slow down." 

Keller crunches his face in confusion, "So, you just do the opposite what she says?"

Elena laughs, and leans down to kiss him, "In a way, I guess. She's been through a lot and I trust her with fighting tips but I'm not sure I trust her romantic advice. It was more, I was surprised she figured it, and then when she said it was a bad idea..." Elena falls silent, and Keller waits for her to continue. "I was annoyed. Because I like what we have together. And I think I want to explore this further."

Keller's face splits in a huge grin and he pulls Elena down to him for a kiss, "I feel the same way. I really like exploring things. With you." 

As they once again give into their desires for each other, a question still occasionally lingers in Keller's brain: should they tell? But that question is a lot less important than how Elena makes him feel. 

Later, Elena falls asleep in his arms, but he can't quite sleep yet. He knows they should tell, there are protocols about people dating within SHIELD, especially people who work together as much as they do. They should probably talk about it. But if they are going to be serious about their relationship, Mack and others will definitely notice it. They should come clean before it becomes an issue. He finally falls asleep without a decision to his dilemma. 

When he wakes up in the morning, Elena has already left. Given the time, Keller is not surprised or bothered by that. They are not openly together yet which requires some sneaking around. 

Before this morning's debriefing, Keller goes to infirmary to get his hand checked, and to make sure the blast didn't leave him with any after effects. He gets a clean bill of health and he can finally get rid of the bandage on his hand. 

As he sneaks some looks at Elena who keeps her respectful distance in the Control room, he knows he doesn't want to and probably can't hide this for long. He should talk about it with Elena before he says anything, but if he and Elena are going to be serious about their relationship, Mack needs to know, both because of SHIELD protocols and the previous relationship Elena and Mack had. Keller respect both too much to hide the relationship and his own happiness. He will tell Mack soon. It's the right thing to do. 

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Always Noble](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22038202) by [Nocticola](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nocticola/pseuds/Nocticola)




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